FIFA stops funding to Pakistan Football Federation

Karachi: This is the first time since FIFA executive committee gave the Faisal Saleh Hayat led Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) two years to resolve matters in September last year, the world’s football governing body has indicated all is not well with its member association.

The PFF has become controversial and is facing crisis ever since it split into two factions in the course of its presidential elections last year before the Lahore High Court (LHC) appointed an administrator to run football affairs in the country, Dawn reported.

These differences under the prevailing situation have provoked FIFA to stop funding to PFF.

The PFF turmoil started with a dispute over the controversial Punjab Football Association (PFA) elections last April and it saw the country’s football governing body divide into two groups with allegations circling around that Faisal Saleh Hayat had changed PFF statutes to suit him in the presidential election.

PFF’s one group was led by sitting President Faisal Saleh Hayat and the other group by contender and vice-president Zahir Ali Shah heading into the polls, however LHC intervened and took a stay order on the elections.

Faisal Saleh Hayat group ignoring the court’s order went on to hold elections which resulted in a severe battle and the court has appointed retired justice Asad Munir as PFF Administrator till the issue is resolved and also asked him to hold fresh polls.

The FIFA executive committee then backed Faisal Saleh Hayat group and gave him two years to amend the PFF statutes and conduct fresh elections.

FIFA’s Member Association Committee in collaboration with FIFA compliance monitors the situation. Reliable sources have confirmed that FIFA’s funding to Faisal Saleh Hayat group had been stopped.

However there have been disputed claims that Asian Football Confederation (AFC) is still giving funds to Faisal Saleh Hayat group.

Last year the national team missed out the SAAF Suzuki Cup due to the PFF dispute, the Faisal Saleh Hayat group then decided against sending Pakistan to the AFC Solidarity Cup to be held in Malaysia in November due to lack of funds.

AFC has not yet responded on the issue whether it had stopped its funding to PFF and if it was not going to pay for the expenses of the participating teams in the AFC Solidarity Cup.